A Fast and Easily-Realized Concentration Sensor for Binary Gas Mixtures and Its Design Analysis.

A low-cost and easily-realized sensing device used for the detection of gas mixtures at different concentrations is presented. Its sensing part includes a small critical nozzle, a laminar structure, and a differential pressure sensor. When gas flows through the laminar structure, there is a pressure drop between both ends of it, and for different components of gas, the pressure drop is different. Based on this feature, the concentration detection is achieved. Concentration tests for two types of fire extinguishing agents CBrF3 and C3HF7 are presented. The results show the characteristics of fast response/recovery time, high accuracy, and good repeatability. Based on the theoretical analysis, the effects of the design parameters on the sensing performance to concentration detection are discussed in detail.